Twitter Reactions: Game hangs out in balance after Ajaz Patel’s five-wicket haul

The hosts still trail New Zealand's score by 22 runs.

By CricTracker Staff verified

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The hosts still trail New Zealand's score by 22 runs.
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Ajaz Patel vs Sri Lanka. (Photo Source: Twitter)

When New Zealand resumed their batting on the second day, a lot was expected from Ross Taylor. It was thought that he’d help his team cross the 300-run mark. However, Suranga Lakmal had other plans. He dismissed Taylor right off the first ball that he bowled on the day and thus the right-hander couldn’t add any more runs to his tally.

He was dismissed on 86 and missed out on getting to his 19th Test century. Mitchell Santner and Tim Southee scored 13 and 14 runs respectively while Trent Boult mustered 22. It was Suranga Lakmal who picked up all the wickets on the day and finished with a five-wicket haul. New Zealand was ultimately bowled out for 249.

Sri Lanka batsmen would be cursing themselves for throwing the starts away

Just like Akila Danajaya on Day-1, it was Ajaz Patel for New Zealand who picked the majority of the wickets. He first got Lahiru Thirimanne stumped out for 10 runs. Then, skipper Dimuth Karunaratne was trapped LBW by the same bowler after he piled on 39 runs. He was the first Sri Lanka batsman who threw his start away on the day. Then, there was a really good partnership between Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera.

Both of them got to half-centuries and it seemed as if they’d help Sri Lanka post a huge first-innings total. But, Ajaz Patel dismissed Mendis for 53. In the following over, Trent Boult got the better of Kusal Perera as well. Just as Sri Lanka was looking to revive itself from the quick blows, Ajaz Patel struck with a couple of wickets yet again in consecutive overs. Angelo Mathews got out as soon as he completed his half-century while Dhananjaya de Silva was gone for 5 runs.

Niroshan Dickwella and Suranga Lakmal are helping the hosts fight their way back into the game. While the wicket-keeper is unbeaten on 39, the fast bowler is going strong on 28. The visiting team’s fans enjoyed the bowling of Ajaz Patel and want him to pick more wickets on Day-3. On the other hand, the Sri Lankan fans are hoping that Dickwella and Lakmal get a big score and help get a big lead. Sri Lanka was at 227/7 at the close of play and still trails by 22 runs.

Here is how Twitterati reacted after the close of play on Day-2:

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